Summary:Misao found herself in an awkward situation with an arrogant guy. What a shock to find that he is the new chemistry teacher. AM

Chapter 9

Sucking in a truckload of oxygen in my lungs, trying to calm my erratically thumping heart, before I turned to face her. Forcing my face not to betray the turmoil I feel insides, I carefully chose my words.

"What exactly do you mean by misunderstanding? Between me and Yahiko?"

"Yes." she replied calmly. She's looking calm, her expression tranquil, and if I haven't seen the way her eyes clouded over or the way her hands were gripping the swings I wouldn't feel her pain.

"I don't want to know…"

She sensed my hesitation.

"But I have to tell you. I came here yesterday, and I met him. He's looking wretched, he wasn't eating right, wasn't sleeping right. He was the shadow of his former self. And I asked the reason why he's being that way. He finally told me that his girlfriend dumped him. "

She paused. I almost feel a stab of guilt. Almost. After all, he did cheat on me, with her. She continued.

"After several serious interrogation, he spilled out that you thought he …how should I say it…did the dirty deeds with me in the hotel that night. On what grounds that silly accusation came from?"

Her question shocked me. But the most shocking thing is the accusation in her question.

"I listened through a crack under the door of the room. I heard…voices." I admitted.

Her lips twitched humorously. Probably at the image of me pressing my ears at the crack under the door. My cheeks are heating up, remembering such a mortifying moment.

"Now think back. Think really carefully. Those voices. Describe to me those voices"

"Moaning. I heard moaning. And groaning. " I admitted reluctantly.

"And when you heard moaning, the first thing you think is…sex?"

She eyebrows went up a notch. I don't like the direction of her questions. I squirmed under her gaze.

"Yes." I stared at the single patch of grass near my toe, avoiding her gaze.

"People in pain moan and groan too,"

"Are you saying, the moaning I've heard, are the result of people in pain?" I can't help the incredulous gape I gave her.

"According to Yahiko, you told him that you read my message to him. The message where I asked him to come to my hotel room. Yes, I did invite him. Because I haven't seen him for some time. Not to mention, he's my distance cousin."

My eyebrows shoot up to the skies. Cousins? So when Yahiko said he's meeting with his cousin, it's the truth. He's being honest all this time. I wish I could kick myself on the head. Followed by the massive crush of conscience on my heart.

"And I miss him. I didn't live here. But sometimes I visit this town because I used to live here. All those sweet memories…" She looked around the park and smiled tenderly. I recognized that look. That look I always have when I was thinking about Aoshi. Heh. She's in love with someone related to her. Somehow, I could feel her plight.

"That night, I needed some company. And I asked him to come to my room. He, being the gentlemen he is, couldn't deny the pleas of a lonely girl like me. Especially not after I told him I sprained my ankles after a walk around town that afternoon. So he came to help me treat my ankle. You probably came in when he's massaging my swollen ankle"

"Are you saying that I heard you moaning because of your twisted ankle?" I echoed.

"Glad to get my point across. " She nodded solemly. Everything she said, everything I thought, everything I think I saw that night, everything Yahiko said, it all mashed together now, forming a full picture. It's crystal clear. It's my fault. I was wrong here.

"Damn"

"So now you know what to do?"

"Yes," Definitely. I need to clear things with Yahiko.

"You know where he's at right now. Right? Go to him."

I peeked at my wristwatch. Right now he's probably at his kendo practice. If I rush at his dojo now I would probably catch him after his kendo class. I slide a sideway gaze at Tsubame. She smiled as she feels my gaze, but her smile is weak and a slight tremble on her lower lips betrayed her feelings to the world. She bit her lip and turns her gaze downwards.

"Thanks Tsubame. I'm off now. See you. And thanks you," I gave her a wave and I took off in a run. From behind me I could hear her sobs, getting louder by the minute. Sorry Tsubame…but I have to do this.

It took 20 minutes of strenuous sprinting across town until I arrived at the Kamiya dojo. The dojo Yahiko attended his kendo lessons. Which accidentally belong to Kaoru's family. I was gasping, out of breath when Yahiko saw me.

"Misao??" Yahiko had the stunned expression printed on his face as I greeted him with a little finger wave. His eyes got a little watchful, brows knitting together, wondering why did I came here for

He stood in front of me, opening his mouth, trying to say something. I launched a flying angry demon bird kick before any word leaked out from his mouth. The blow landed on his abdomen. He let out a wheeze and with a stunned expression he flopped to the ground in pain.

" What was that about?" he asked incredulously.

"That one is for being stupid!" I answered, making his lips curl in anger.

"First you dumped me, now you come and attack me! What's wrong with you? Are you PMSing?"

PMSing? I'll show him PMSing. I kicked him on the shin and he took that chance to grab my leg and I landed awkwardly on him. He groaned as I flatten him, all breath knocked out of him, the loser of this struggle. I rolled off him, and lay beside him. I took a peek at him at the corner of my eyes. He snorted as he noticed, and suddenly the air if filled with our laughter. He slowly brought himself upright and he held a hand to me. I grabbed it, and he pulled me up with him.

"I met with Tsubame,"I said.

"I see."

"Why don't you tell me, explain clearly what happened" I demanded, poking his chest with a finger. He snorted,

"I tried. You weren't listening to me. You were so convinced that I cheated on you, you won't even consider my side of the story. Remember?"

It's true. I wasn't listening. Recalling back, I never did listen to his explanations. It's because I'm so sure of what happened I never tried to listen to his side of the story. I never asked him to explain himself. I never confronted him directly either. In fact, after I thought I heard him being unfaithful, I just jumped to conclusion. And I just ran. I ran away from him.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I was being immature" I am being immature. Afraid of being even more hurt, because of that I bolted like a rabbit dashing into a rabbit hole. Two other people got hurt because of me.

"I guess it hurt me that you wouldn't trust me. So I just, give up. The way you reject my reality, I just have to accept yours. Even though it's not true, I just agreed with everything you said. I was too depressed to say anything different. "he said quietly.

"Sorry that I hurt you…"

"So, what now? Want to give it another go?" he asked me. I looked him in the eyes, and took his hands. And I shook my head, dropping my gaze on the ground. He quickly took back his hands from my grip, eyes empty. But I felt his acceptance in his silent stance. We knew we would never go back to the way we were. There's no second chances for us. I loved him, but I just don't love him enough to put my trust in him. I realized it now.

"Actually, I'm here because I want to tell you that you have someone who loves you from the bottom of her heart. She loves you so much; my feeling for you is insignificant compared to hers,"

"Who?" he's totally taken aback.

"Tsubame, you dense man!"

"But she's my cousin!" He answered, shocked.

"A distance cousin," I said softly.

"That's true." He said. A light came in his eyes as he contemplated on that fact.

"I would like to give this relationship another go, but now, meeting her, she totally changed my perception. I couldn't have the courage what she did back then. She loved you so much, so please give her a chance. Go to her. Right now she's probably crying her heart out, "

"Where's she? "

"At the park. You know. That park. "

"Heh. You favorite place. It's okay with you? Leaving me with her? "

"I have to admit, someone else caught my attention. I think I love him. I think I'm going to tell him right after this" as soon as the words escaped from my lips, I stopped dead. Shocked at my own resolve. Voicing it made it all more amazing. Despite everthing, despite the odds against me, I have made my mind. I will tell him how I feel, no matter what is the consequences. I will do it.

"I guess this is it. Best of luck with your confession. Goodbye"

He swooped down on me and pressed a chaste kiss on my lips. My whole body stiffens with shock. He moved his lips against mine and I gave in to the warmth and tenderness of his kiss. And then I placed my palm against his chest, halting him. We broke apart. He smiled. He whispered near my ears,

" One last kiss, just to get over you," He pressed another kiss at my temple before leaving me. Leaving me for Tsubame.

Sometimes goodbye is the only way.

Pursing my lips, touching it with a single finger. Finding that the heat from his lips is fading.

This is settled. Even though we were not together, we knew that we would still have each other as friends. Now I have to worry about telling Aoshi that I like him. I guess I have to explain why I didn't go to his office back then and tell him what I feel for him. I groaned and winced as I recall the expression he had when I defied him in the lab. This isn't going to be easy, but it's now or never, before I lost my courage.

Out of the blue, I felt a piercing gaze, stabbing me with sharp icicles at my back. The fine hairs behind my neck rise as I felt the hostile vibe from behind me. I broke up in cold sweat, as I swung slowly to face the source of the menace I felt.

I conjured him. There's no explanation. No good explanation on how he just materialize out of nowhere at this very place. One second I was thinking about him, and now he's here. And he doesn't look pleased at all.

His blue eyes are narrowed in barely concealed contempt, lips narrowed in in barely concealed distaste. Yahiko's right. I need luck to deal with this. All the luck in the universe. I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and walked right to him. I barely opened my lips to explain to him the situation when he cut me off.

"So…that's why you turned your cell off. So that no one could disturb you and him making out." he said coldly.

What? Oh no, he saw that? He saw Yahiko kissing me. This situation is going downhill.

"Let me explain-"

"It's none of my business," he said aloofly and turned his head away . I reached for him and grabbed hold on his sleeves. He eyed me with his cold blue eyes. Only, this time, when my eyes met with his, my whole body is wrecked with shivers. I don't know what's he's feeling. I couldn't read his eyes. I he angry? Disappointed? Annoyed? He closed his eyes from my probing gaze, twisted his way out of my grasped and simply walked away. Just like that.

"Wait!! Listen!! "I screamed, but he totally ignored me.

I lost it. I grabbed my slipper off my foot and aimed it at his back. It landed right on mark, but it doesn't even faze him. He didn't flinch. No reaction at all. And walking farther and farther away from me.

Now I knew exactly how Yahiko feels. Aoshi did exactly what I did to Yahiko. Running away. He ran. I had it. If he screamed and yelled I could handle it. I could just yell and rant and screamed back at him. The cold reaction stumped me. And I was so disappointed, my heart plunged into my stomach. He's all ice, I'm all fire. There's no way that I can make it work between us.

Kneeling in the dirt, I lowered my head and squeezed my eyes shut.I'm in my all time low. I had enough. Eyes filled with tears, I told myself I'm giving up on him.

To be continued….

Couldn't resist adding a little Tsubame/Yahiko in this story. And lots of love to you guys!!

Chawan
I want to know too. Why Aoshi agreed too fast? Why? Hehe. I'll let him tell you the reason himself. Hey, I'm not pressuring you to review every time, okay? Kisses!

prettyshinomori
Heh,I did that cliffhanger on purpose. I'm so evil.

Ipanema
Sorry,my chapters are mostly short. I'll try to write longer next chapter. :P

TeneBra-chan
I guess surprise is not a bad thing. Is it?

Evee-San
Thank you! Awesome 5 star support from you. Thanks!!

s-makn
Triple A's (An Angry Aoshi? An Awesome Aoshi? An Aggressive Aoshi?) are followed in the next chapter. Hehe.And yes,you got the song right! Just watched Simpsons the movie and couldn't resist adding that song in.

Adelaide MacGregor
Yikes. That is such a mortifying mistake. How could I miss that glaring mistake! Noo!! Thanks, I'll correct it immediately.

Misao-Cute Weasel
It's okay? I can continue adding more outrageous plot twists? Can I? Hehe.

dragondemoness91
I just couldn't help it. I tend to mix a lot of my ideas in my story with no idea how to tie things up in the end. But I promise you it won't be like that in this story. I'll try my best!